ISI knew where bin Laden lived; provided shelter to Zawahiri

Nov 08, 2011 |

Washington

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Pakistan's ISI was aware of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad and the spy agency officials also provided protection and safe houses to his then deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to a new book.

The ISI officials periodically checked on bin Laden also, this sensational claim has been made by Chuck Pfarrer, a former SEALs, in his latest book 'Seal Target Geronimo' that hit the stands here on Tuesday.

Pfarrer says his account in the book, that gives a blow by blow account of the killing of bin Laden in a surprise US raid in Abbottabad on May 2, is based on his interviews and interactions with members of the SEALs team that killed the al-Qaeda leader and the US military and Obama Administration officials.

All the sources have been kept anonymous. Notably officials of the Obama Administration, Department of Defence and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have so far maintained that they haven't obtained any evidence which indicates about the ISI having knowledge of the whereabouts of bin Laden or providing support infrastructure to him.

"The ISI knew exactly where he was, but did not inform the US. They continued to let bin Laden pace back and forth in his compound," Pfarrer wrote in his 225-page book.

Giving an insight into the last few months of bin Laden's life, Pfarrer wrote that he became increasingly reclusive and seldom left the main building, unless it was to put on a set of golden-threaded robes and have one of his aides film him as he tried to read pronouncements to be aired on Al Jazeera or released on al-Qaeda's web sites.

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